When looking for work, your resume must stand out. But, should you include your hobbies and interests? The short answer is that it depends. Learn when to have them and how to add interests and hobbies in resume.
Your Resume is not a personal advertisement.
It is, however, similar to a dating profile. You want your Resume to catch the attention of potential employers and demonstrate that you are a qualified candidate and a fun person to work with.
Your Resume represents who you are professionally, but it does not have to be stuffy and uninteresting. You may express your unique personality and set yourself apart from other applicants by including your interests and hobbies on your Resume.
But which hobbies or interests should you include or exclude? And how does the part on interests and hobbies tie in with the rest of your Resume?
Read on for advice on adding interests and hobbies to a resume!
Why Include Interests and Hobbies on a Resume?
Some components of a resume, such as education and work experience, are necessary. Many additional resume templates feature skills, awards and achievements, or a volunteering section.
However, the hobbies and interests part are new to the game.
Investigate the organisation you’re applying to, and include examples of hobbies and interests related to the job description, team or department, and company culture. Relevant hobbies and interests on your resume will fluctuate depending on the job description, so don’t use the same generic resume for all of them!
If you can do so honestly, you should include hobbies and interests on your Resume. To impress a potential employer, don’t make up a bunch of activities you’ve never done before. It is never a good idea to lie on a resume because you may be asked to expand on or verify your experiences during an interview. However, if you have relevant resume examples of hobbies and interests, it’s a great way to connect with the hiring manager or recruiter reviewing your application.
No one like becoming bored, including recruiting managers, CEOs, and human resource directors. Using your resume to provide insight into your life outside work can help break up the monotony of pursuing resumes. It will also aid reviewers in remembering who you are.
If you don’t have professional experience directly related to the job, including a section on interests and hobbies can help your Resume. Instead, you can use your list of responsibilities to show that you have the necessary skills and knowledge for the position. Before deciding on hobbies and interests, review the job description several times.
Hobbies in Resume Examples
Hobbies are recreational activities. Sports, birding, baking pies, and painting are all excellent resume hobbies. Make a list of your hobbies.
You can choose the top 3-5 hobbies for your resume from that list. Remember that there should be some connection between the activities you state and the job you’re applying for.
Assume you’re seeking a position on a graphic design team. Moreover, the job description stresses the need for collaboration and working well with colleagues. You may include team sports as one of your hobbies to show that you enjoy working with people to achieve a common objective.
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Consider Examples of Resume Interests
Interests are comparable to hobbies, but they do not have to be activities you participate in. Resume interests are more like topics you’d want to discuss or read about.
Music, theatre, painting, and travel are some examples of hobbies to include on your resume. It would help if you were prepared to discuss any interests listed on your résumé. You don’t have to be an expert, but you should have a conversational understanding, so you aren’t taken off guard if it comes up during an interview.
How Should Hobbies and Interests Be Included on a Resume?
Your hobbies and interests can be included in a section of your resume near the end. There are several ways to have your hobbies and interests on a resume.
You could start by making a bulleted list of them. List the pastime or interest in a single word or phrase, such as:
- Skiing
- Opera music
- Outdoor photography
You could additionally elaborate on each activity or interest. This allows you to demonstrate how your hobby or interest relates to the information and skills required for the job. Here are some examples of hobbies and interests to include on your resume:
- Travel: Explored 3 continents and 14 countries over the last 10 years.
- Blogging: Post 2 blogs a week on a vegan cooking and baking website.
- Volunteering: Helped out at a local soup kitchen serving guests and organizing stock.
If you choose to elaborate on any passion or pastime, keep it brief and to the point. You might even leave out all the specifics so an interviewer has something to ask you about. For example, which three continents have you visited? Alternatively, what is your favourite vegan cookie recipe?
Your resume includes hobbies and interests that help you stand out as a job candidate. Show your community engagement, acceptable work culture attitude, team skill development in your spare time, professional activities, how much you want to learn, and other creative resume examples that excite the employer and make them want to give you a chance. That’s a terrific method to supplement your academic and professional experience sections and land that interview!
Things to Avoid in the Section on Interests and Hobbies
Remember that you want your resume’s interests and hobbies section to work for you, not against you. As a general guideline, you should avoid mentioning religion or political affiliation. There may be certain exceptions based on the position you’re looking for, but if in doubt, leave it out.
You should also avoid hobbies or interests that are overly broad, such as “reading.” If you want to emphasise how much you enjoy reading, include some specifics, such as “mystery novel aficionado” or “women’s literature book club.”
Another pastime and interest faux pas is incorporating non-productive activities such as watching television or napping. It’s okay if you enjoy binge-watching the latest season of your favourite reality programme, but your boss doesn’t need to know.
Finally, do not add anything unsafe or unsuitable in your hobbies and interests section. Leave out anything related to alcohol, gambling, gaming, or other activities that could be perceived negatively in the workplace.
Finally, a small reminder. Do not include anything that does not add value to your Resume! It’s not a horrible idea to have your interest in basketball, languages, technology, guitar playing, calligraphy, or yoga, but it all depends on the position you’re hoping to land.
Prepared to write the section on Hobbies and Interests?
So, what examples of hobbies and interests will you include on your resume? If you follow the criteria above, your resume will contain an attractive and exciting list of hobbies and interests that will entice employers to interview you or offer you a work position.
Remember that hobbies and interests on a Resume should be specific, noteworthy, and in some way related to the job or organisation. Put this area near the conclusion of your resume because it is less important than other portions of your resume, and choose the top 3-5.
You’re one step closer to crushing that résumé and obtaining your dream job!
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